Salted Honeycomb & Smoked Almond Beehive Baked Alaska
Ingredients
Serves Makes about 6 Baked Alaskas
½ cup + ¼ cup (125 + 60 ml) granulated sugar, divided
¼ cup + ⅔ cups (60 + 150 ml) clover honey, divided
1½ tsp (7 ml) baking soda
1 tsp (5 ml) Maldon sea salt flakes
4 cups (1 L) good quality store-bought vanilla ice cream
½ cup (125 ml) smoked almonds, roughly chopped
1 store-bought pound cake, cut into ½-in (1 cm) thick slices
4 large egg whites
edible flowers, berries, herbs or pea shoots, for garnish
Instructions
- To make salted honeycomb, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, combine ½ cup (125 ml) sugar and ¼ cup (60 ml) honey. Let sugar dissolve while gently whisking constantly, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium and bring to a lazy simmer, whisking often, until mixture reaches 300 F (150 C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 3 to 5 minutes. Take care not to overcook, as honeycomb will taste burnt.
- Remove saucepan from heat and immediately whisk in baking soda and salt. Be careful, as mixture will steam and turn into a thick foam. Pour this foamy mixture immediately onto prepared baking sheet. Let sit at room temperature until cool, about 1 hour. Use a sharp knife to chop honeycomb into no smaller than bite-sized chunks and shards. Transfer to an airtight container and set aside.
- Place ice cream in a bowl and let soften slightly. Stir in smoked almonds and about half the chopped honeycomb until well combined. Transfer to freezer for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, cut 2.5-in (6 cm) rounds out of pound cake. You should get at least 6 rounds. Feel free to fit together a few pieces if needed. Transfer rounds to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Dollop about ¾ cup (175 ml) ice cream onto each piece of pound cake and shape into a tall dome. Place ice cream-topped cakes in freezer until completely frozen, about 4 hours.
- When ready to serve, make meringue. In a small saucepan, heat remaining ⅔ cup (150 ml) honey until it reaches 242 F (117 C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- Meanwhile, whip egg whites in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment over medium-high speed, until it forms soft peaks. Add remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar and continue to whisk until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly pour in cooked honey in a very thin stream. Once it is all added, increase speed to medium-high and continue whisking until meringue is cooled, shiny and holds a peak, about 5 to 10 minutes. Place meringue in a large piping bag fitted with a plain round tip.
- To serve, working with 1 ice cream-topped cake at a time, place cake on a serving plate. Pipe honey meringue around cake and ice cream, starting from the plate and working your way up in concentric circles. Alternatively, you can spread a thick layer of meringue all around the cake and ice cream. Caramelize meringue using a culinary torch. Garnish with extra salted honeycomb candy, edible flowers, berries, herbs and/or pea shoots. Repeat with remaining cakes and serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
Bánh Xèo served with Nuóc Chấm
Ingredients
Serves 6
7 oz (200 g) Bánh Xèo pancake flour*
1 tsp (5 ml) ground turmeric
1 tsp (5 ml) table salt
1 x 400 ml (14 oz) can coconut milk
1 cup (250 ml) warm water
2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
8 oz (250 g) pork belly, cut into ½-in (1.25 cm) thick strips
¾ tsp (4 ml) table salt
1 cup (250 ml) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped garlic (optional)
4 tbsp (60 ml) vegetable oil, divided
1½ cups (375 ml) bean sprouts, divided
6 tbsp (90 ml) cooked mung beans, divided (optional)
1 head green leaf or Boston lettuce, whole leaves separated, washed and dried
1 bunch mint, washed and dried
1 bunch cilantro, washed and dried
1 bunch Vietnamese perilla (optional), washed and dried
* Available at Asian grocery stores. If you can’t find it, combine 1/3 cup (75 ml) rice flour, ¼ cup (60 ml) all-purpose flour and 3 tbsp (45 ml) cornstarch. All flours must be spooned to measure; total weight should be 7 oz (200 g).
Nuóc Châ´m, make ahead, recipe follows, to serve
3 tbsp (45 ml) sugar
⅔ cup (150 ml) lukewarm water
¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ cup (60 ml) fish sauce
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (optional)
1 small red Thai chili, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together Bánh Xèo flour, turmeric and salt. Add coconut milk and warm water and whisk until batter is smooth and there are no lumps. Stir in green onion. Cover and let rest for 1 hour, if possible.
- Season pork belly with salt. In a large skillet over high heat, fry pork until edges are brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate, reserving skillet with rendered fat for next step. Set aside.
- In same skillet, fry prawns in rendered pork fat for about 1 minute per side. Transfer prawns to a separate plate and set aside, again reserving skillet for next step.
- In same skillet, fry onions and garlic, if using, over medium-high heat until translucent. Remove from heat and add to cooked pork.
- Give batter a quick stir to integrate ingredients. In a 10-in (25 cm) non-stick skillet or crêpe pan, heat 2 tsp (10 ml) oil over medium-high heat. Using a ladle, pour ½ cup (125 ml) batter into hot skillet and carefully but quickly swirl skillet to evenly distribute batter over surface.
- Spread 1/6 of pork and onion mixture onto ½ of crêpe. Add 1/6 of prawns over top. Sprinkle over 1 tbsp (15 ml) mung beans, if using, and about ¼ cup (60 ml) bean sprouts over filling. Cover skillet, reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Remove lid, increase heat to medium-high and continue cooking for another 3 to 5 minutes to allow bottom of crêpe to crisp up slightly. Fold crêpe in half over filling and transfer to serving plate. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Serve with whole lettuce leaves, mint, cilantro and perilla, if using, alongside. To eat, tear or cut pieces of crêpe, wrap up with lettuce and herbs and dip in Nuóc Châ´m.
- To prepare Nuóc Châ´m, In a small bowl, combine sugar and water and stir until dissolved. Add lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, if using, and chili and stir to combine. Makes 1¼ cups (310 ml)
Drink Pairings
Lamb with Honey Pistachio Sauce, Smoked Yogurt & Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients
Serves Serves 4
12 to 16 small multicoloured carrots, tops trimmed off, well-scrubbed and halved if large
6 red and/or yellow baby beets, trimmed, well-scrubbed and sliced into ½-in (1.25 cm) rounds
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, divided
2 leeks, root end and dark green part trimmed off,
cut into ½-in (1.25 cm) rounds
Smoked Yogurt*, make ahead, recipe follows
2 lamb loins
⅓ cup + ½ cup (75 + 125 ml) clover honey, divided
1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar, plus extra as needed
½ cup (125 ml) sliced pistachios, roughly chopped
1 cup (250 ml) packed flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stalks, finely chopped
SMOKED YOGURT
1 cup (250 ml) full-fat plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp (30 ml) light brown sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) long-grain rice
¼ cup (60 ml) woodchips, for smoking
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
- Combine carrots and beets on a rimmed baking sheet. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss with 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil. Roast for 20 minutes. Add leeks and stir vegetables, then return to oven and roast until golden and tender, another 15 to 20 minutes.
- Heat remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Generously season lamb loins, then add to frying pan. Cook, turning often, until slightly browned, about 2 minutes total. Reduce heat to medium and pour ⅓ cup (75 ml) honey over lamb. Continue cooking, turning and basting with honey frequently, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into lamb reads 130 F (54 C), about another 5 to 6 minutes. Remove lamb to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Meanwhile, make the honey pistachio sauce. In a bowl, stir together remaining ½ cup (125 ml) honey, red wine vinegar, pistachios and parsley. Season to taste with salt and additional vinegar if desired.
- To make smoked yogurt, place yogurt in a small, wide bowl set above another small bowl filled with ice. (This will help prevent yogurt from curdling as it smokes.) Line base of a wok with 2 pieces heavy-duty foil and add sugar, rice and woodchips. Set a wire rack inside wok. Turn on hood fan and place wok over high heat until contents start to smoke, about 5 minutes. Place 2 nested bowls on rack and cover wok with a lid or large metal bowl. Reduce heat to medium and smoke yogurt until it has a smoky flavour, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove yogurt bowl from smoker and refrigerate until ready to use. * Can substitute 1 cup (250 ml) full-fat plain Greek yogurt with a few drops Liquid Smoke (available at most grocery stores) or smoked paprika stirred in, to taste.
- To serve, swirl a good dollop of Smoked Yogurt on serving plates. Arrange lamb and roast vegetables over and around yogurt, then drizzle with honey pistachio sauce.
Drink Pairings
Hot Honey Spring Carbonara
Ingredients
Serves Serves 4
1 cup (250 ml) clover honey
1 tsp (5 ml) crushed red chili flakes
1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
½ lb (250 g) dried spaghetti
6 large egg yolks
1 cup (250 ml) finely grated Parmesan, divided
½ tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp (1 ml) kosher salt
½ cup (125 ml) diced pancetta
1 cup (250 ml) frozen green peas, thawed
10 to 12 spears asparagus, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) pieces
1 cup (250 ml) packed baby spinach
Instructions
- To make hot honey, in a small saucepan over low heat, stir together honey, chili flakes and vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Honey should be warm but should never come to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container; honey will keep in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months and will get spicier the longer it sits.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, reserving 1 cup (250 ml) pasta cooking water. Drain and set pasta aside.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks with ¾ cup (175 ml) Parmesan, pepper and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook pancetta over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain all but 2 tbsp (30 ml) fat from skillet. Return half the pancetta to skillet along with peas and asparagus and cook over medium heat, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add spinach and let wilt. Remove skillet from heat. Add pasta and ½ cup (125 ml) reserved cooking water. Toss everything together. If pasta has cooled, return to heat, tossing for another 1 to 2 minutes, until hot.
- Working quickly, scrape egg yolk mixture into hot pasta. Toss until sauce is thickened, adding additional reserved pasta cooking water if needed to reach desired consistency. Divide between warm plates and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) Parmesan and pancetta.
Drink Pairings
Chicken Florentine Crêpes with Herbed Mushrooms
Ingredients
Serves 8 crêpes
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced ¼-in (0.5 cm) thick
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups (1 L) fresh spinach leaves, washed, dried and roughly chopped
1 tbsp (15 ml) white vinegar
Buckwheat Crêpes, make ahead, recipe follows
¾ cup (175 ml) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
¾ cup (175 ml) shredded Provolone cheese
Herbed Mushrooms, make ahead, recipe follows
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, fry onion in oil until translucent. Add garlic and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
- Add chicken and sauté until fully cooked, about 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add spinach and increase heat to high for about 1 minute, or just until spinach wilts, then add vinegar, stir, cover and remove from heat. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together cheeses. Place 1 buckwheat crêpe on a large plate. Sprinkle ⅛ of cheese over surface. Spoon ⅛ of chicken and spinach mixture onto ¼ of crêpe. Fold crêpe in half over filling, then fold in half again into a triangle. Transfer to a shallow baking dish. Repeat with remaining crêpes, placing filled crêpes in a single layer in baking dish. Cover and seal with foil, poking a few holes in foil with a fork. At this point, crêpes can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before baking.
- To serve, preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Bake prepared crêpes, covered, for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Remove from oven and serve with Herbed Mushrooms on top.
Drink Pairings
Hot Honey Spring Carbonara
Ingredients
Serves Serves 4
1 cup (250 ml) clover honey
1 tsp (5 ml) crushed red chili flakes
1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
½ lb (250 g) dried spaghetti
6 large egg yolks
1 cup (250 ml) finely grated Parmesan, divided
½ tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp (1 ml) kosher salt
½ cup (125 ml) diced pancetta
1 cup (250 ml) frozen green peas, thawed
10 to 12 spears asparagus, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) pieces
1 cup (250 ml) packed baby spinach
Instructions
- To make hot honey, in a small saucepan over low heat, stir together honey, chili flakes and vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Honey should be warm but should never come to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container; honey will keep in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months and will get spicier the longer it sits.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, reserving 1 cup (250 ml) pasta cooking water. Drain and set pasta aside.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks with ¾ cup (175 ml) Parmesan, pepper and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook pancetta over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain all but 2 tbsp (30 ml) fat from skillet. Return half the pancetta to skillet along with peas and asparagus and cook over medium heat, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add spinach and let wilt. Remove skillet from heat. Add pasta and ½ cup (125 ml) reserved cooking water. Toss everything together. If pasta has cooled, return to heat, tossing for another 1 to 2 minutes, until hot.
- Working quickly, scrape egg yolk mixture into hot pasta. Toss until sauce is thickened, adding additional reserved pasta cooking water if needed to reach desired consistency. Divide between warm plates and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) Parmesan and pancetta.
Drink Pairings
No-Waste Sour
Ingredients
Serves Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Queensborough Dry Gin
1 oz (30 ml) Gewürztraminer Syrup*
¾ oz (22 ml) lemon juice
2 foraged or local rosemary sprigs (save 1 for garnish)
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker with cubed ice, combine gin, Gewürztraminer Syrup, lemon juice and 1 sprig rosemary. Shake vigorously and fine strain into a chilled rocks glass over new cubed ice. Garnish with remaining rosemary sprig.
- * To make Gewürztraminer Syrup, heat 1 cup (250 ml) leftover Gewürztraminer in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once bubbling gently, reduce heat to simmer until wine is reduced by half, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add ½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat, let cool, then transfer to a bottle, seal and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 7 oz (210 ml).
Drink Pairings
Resourceful Afternoon Punch
Ingredients
Serves Makes 10 x 5 oz (150 ml) cocktails
1½ cups (375 ml) Bearface 7-Year-Old Triple Oak Canadian Whisky
1 sprig foraged or local lavender
7½ oz (225 ml) Lemon-Orange Sherbet*, make ahead
30 oz (890 ml) Earl Grey Tea**
dehydrated lemon and orange wheels, for garnish***
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine whisky with lavender and let sit for 15 minutes. Strain into a jug with a lid. Add Sherbet and tea, cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours. Transfer to a punch bowl, add ice and garnish with lemon and orange wheels.
- *To make Lemon-Orange Sherbet, first make an Oleo-Saccharum. Wash 5 organic lemons and 2 small organic oranges and dry thoroughly. Using a vegetable peeler, peel zest off citrus, avoiding white pith as much as possible. Reserve fruit to juice later. Combine peels with ½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar in a zip-top bag, remove as much air as possible, then seal. Massage peels and sugar to extract oils from peels. Let sit at room temperature for 10 to 12 hours, occasionally massaging to extract more oils, until most of the sugar has dissolved. You now have Oleo-Saccharum. Juice citrus, then strain juice to remove pulp. Measure out ½ cup (125 ml) juice. Open bag and add juice to dissolve any remaining sugar, then strain to remove peels and transfer to a sealed container. You now have a Sherbet. Makes about 7½ oz (225 ml) and will keep for up to 2 weeks.
- ** To make Earl Grey Tea, consider re-steeping recently used tea bags to give them a second life. In a large jug or bowl, pour 30 oz (890 ml) boiling water over 4 earl grey tea bags and steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and let cool to room temperature.
- *** To make Dehydrated Lemon and Orange Wheels, slice 2 lemons and 2 oranges evenly into wheels, approximately ⅛-in (0.25 cm) thick. Place slices in a dehydrator at 135 F (57 C) for 8 hours, or place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at lowest oven temperature (convection if possible) until completely dry, about 4 to 5 hours. Without convection, rotate sheets every 1 to 2 hours. Store in an airtight container; will keep indefinitely in a cool, dark place.
Drink Pairings
Sustainable Strawberry Daiquiri
Ingredients
Serves Serves 1
2 oz (60 ml) Bacardí White Rum
1 oz (30 ml) Strawberry Syrup*
¾ oz (22 ml) lime juice
dried strawberry, for garnish**
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker with cubed ice, combine all ingredients. Shake well and fine strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a dried strawberry.
- *To make Strawberry Syrup, consider using local, seasonal or imperfect, overripe or end-of-season fruit. (Can also substitute same amount of blackberries or raspberries for a twist.) In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine 1 lb (454 g) washed, hulled and sliced strawberries with 1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar, 1 cup (250 ml) water and 1 tsp (5 ml) citric acid. Gently stir, then cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once sugar has dissolved, remove from heat, cover and let cool to room temperature. Fine strain to remove solids, reserving fruit pulp (can be used or eaten as a jam). Do not press fruit while straining, or syrup will be cloudy. Transfer syrup to a bottle, seal and refrigerate until ready to use, or up to 2 weeks. Makes about 2 cups (500 ml).
- **Thinly slice strawberries and place in a dehydrator at 135 F (57 C) for 6 hours, or set oven to lowest temperature and dry on parchment-lined baking sheets for 4 hours, rotating halfway through.
Featuring
Salmon Tom Kha
Ingredients
Serves Serves 4
2 x 14 oz (398 ml) cans coconut milk
1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock
3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce, plus extra as needed
2 tbsp (30 ml) sugar, plus extra as needed
2 stalks lemongrass, cut in half and lightly pounded
4 Makrut lime leaves
2 x ½-in (1.25 cm) slices galangal
1 to 2 bird’s eye chilis, cut in half, or to taste
½ small kabocha squash, seeds removed, cut into 2-in (5 cm) chunks
1 cup (250 ml) oyster or shiitake mushrooms, cut in half
1 lb (500 g) salmon fillet, skin and pin bones removed, cut into 2-in (5 cm) chunks
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 limes, divided
1 handful cilantro leaves, for garnish
2 green onions, julienned, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce, sugar, lemongrass, lime leaves, galangal, chilis and squash, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until squash is just tender. Taste and add more sugar or fish sauce, as desired.
- Increase heat to medium and add mushrooms, salmon and tomatoes. Bring back to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through. Remove from heat and add juice of 1 lime. Quarter remaining lime and reserve for garnish.
- Portion soup into bowls and garnish with lime wedges, cilantro and green onion.